Indigenous Bursary Recipients 2024

Growing up in the Aboriginal community of Yarrabah, Nyoka Hrabinsky never imagined she would one day work in ethnobotany. But her life in the community, and earlier at Kowanyama on Cape York Peninsular, was laying strong foundations.

“We went out a lot on Country, fishing, hunting, camping out. We learnt how to naturally dye leaves and do weaving. And when my family moved back to Yarrabah, we lived out in the bush with no electricity, with gravity-fed water, kerosene lamps… It really influenced me to have a passion for the environment and for cultural knowledge.”

Nyoka has since worked as a national park ranger, established an indigenous-themed café with her husband and become an ethnobotany research assistant – a role that’s inspired her to study environmental science at James Cook University majoring in biodiversity and land management.

Bursaries for three James Cook University students

She recently received an indigenous bursary from not-for-profit environmental organisation Terrain NRM to help with her studies. Nyoka is one of three James Cook University students who’ve received the bursaries, aimed at helping with studies and future employment opportunities in the environmental and agricultural sectors.

“Being a first-year university student can be daunting, especially when it comes to managing expenses. I work a few days a week, but this will be immensely helpful,’’ she says.

Her goal is to become an ethnobotanist in her own right, studying plants, their practical uses over time, traditional knowledge and how it can strengthen western science.

Funds to help with study expenses, work experience…

Two other 2024 Terrain NRM Indigenous Bursary recipients, Chelsea Perry and Tara Ganley, are also studying environmental science at James Cook University. Tara hopes to use bursary funds to take some time off work so she can volunteer as a ranger.